Accelerated BSN Programs in Louisiana

Program Length & Format

• 16-month
• Total degree requires 120 credit hours
• Nursing coursework completed full-time over 16 months
• Format includes in-classroom instruction and clinical nursing courses

Admission Requirements

• Earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Be in good academic standing at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
• Minimum combined GPA of 3.0 on required prerequisite coursework plus all previous coursework applied to the BSN program
• Grade of C or better required in all courses applied to the ABSN program
• NURS 2510 (Pathophysiology) must be completed with a grade of C or better within three years of admission; maximum two attempts within three years (any grade, including W, counts as an attempt)

Prerequisites

• Required courses (must appear on transcript; grade of C or better required for applied courses):
  • BIOL 2310 Anatomy and Physiology I (3), BIOL 2311 Anatomy and Physiology II (3)
  • BIOL 2325 Microbiology (3) plus associated science lab (1)
  • PSYC 2330 Developmental Psychology (3); PHIL or RELS ethics elective (3)
  • MATH 2315 Statistics (3); BIOL 2320 Nutrition (3)
  • NURS 2510 Pathophysiology (4); THEO 1310 Introduction to Theology (3)
• At least 12 hours of the listed prerequisite courses must be completed with grade of C or better before application to the clinical nursing program
• Pathophysiology (NURS 2510) must be taken at FranU prior to entering clinical courses

Deadlines

• Application to Office of Admission due by January 30 for August start or August 30 for January start
• Submit application by January 15 for August class or July 15 for January class

Application

• Submit program-specific application to the Office of Admission
• Application is a two-step process: admission to university followed by access to clinical application after admission
• Advising for new students opens mid-October for spring semester and early April for summer semester
• Upon acceptance students must: attend new nursing student orientation; submit to a criminal background check (at student expense); comply with School of Nursing health and safety requirements; submit application for approval to enroll in a clinical nursing course
• LSBN approval required to enroll in clinical nursing courses; students with arrests, charges, convictions, addiction, or impairment must petition the Louisiana State Board of Nursing prior to enrolling in clinicals

Selection Process

• Applications reviewed on a competitive basis and consistent with university admission policy
• Review factors include listed admission criteria and ability to meet School of Nursing Core Performance Standards
• Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission
• Final program acceptance is contingent upon Louisiana State Board of Nursing approval

Clinical & Simulation Lab

• Clinical nursing courses included each semester; clinical course starts occur in spring and fall
• Semester-level clinical/theory breakdown:
  • Semester 1: 3 credit theory course and 7 credits (3 theory/4 clinical); total 10 semester credits
  • Semester 2: 8 credits (4 theory/4 clinical) and 7 credits (5 theory/2 clinical); total 15 semester credits
  • Semester 3: 8 credits (4 theory/4 clinical) and 3 credits (3 theory); total 11 semester credits
  • Semester 4 (two 8-week sessions): first 8 weeks 8 credits (4 theory/4 clinical); second 8 weeks 6 credits (4 theory/2 clinical); total 14 semester credits
• LSBN approval required before enrollment in clinical courses

Credit Transfer

• Contact the Office of Admissions for evaluation of transfer credits and course applicability
• Pathophysiology (NURS 2510) must be taken at FranU before entering clinical courses

Contacts

• ABSN program phone: (225) 526-1631
• Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University main phone: (877) 242-3509
• University address: 5414 Brittany Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Program Length & Format

• 17-month
• Program includes 63 credit hours of nursing courses plus 31 credit hours of non-nursing prerequisites
• Block credit awarded for general education courses from prior bachelor's degree
• Coursework divided into summer, fall, and spring semesters with multiple sub-terms
• On-campus program located in Pineville, Louisiana

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution required
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.6 on all college coursework
• Minimum grade of C or better in all prerequisite and pre-nursing courses
• No more than two repeated prerequisite or pre-nursing courses allowed; fewer repeats preferred

Entrance Exams

• TEAS exam required only for traditional BSN applicants; ABSN applicants are exempt
• ABSN applicants must meet or exceed national BSN mean score on TEAS if taken previously for other programs

Prerequisites

• Completion of 31 credit hours of non-nursing prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better before nursing courses begin
• Required courses:
  • Introduction to Psychology (3 hrs)
  • Developmental Psychology (3 hrs)
  • Introductory Chemistry (3 hrs)
  • Microbiology (3 hrs)
  • Elementary Statistics (3 hrs)
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab (4 hrs total)
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab (4 hrs total)
  • Survey of the Bible (1 hr, may be completed pre or summer)
  • Some substitutions allowed based on prior coursework (e.g., psychology, statistics)

Application

• Two-step application process: initial inquiry and submission of formal application via NursingCAS or by contacting admissions
• Required documents include official transcripts from all colleges attended
• Submission of statement of goals
• Three references required
• Admission decisions consider GPA, completion of prerequisite courses, and other application materials
• At-risk applicants may be admitted if space is available and program requirements are met

Cost & Financial Aid

• Cabrini Scholars program offers grants of $5,000 or $10,000 for ABSN students in exchange for employment commitments after graduation at CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital:
• $5,000 grant requires 24-month employment commitment
• $10,000 grant requires 36-month employment commitment
• Eligibility for Cabrini Scholars requires successful completion of first ABSN semester and completion of grant application and interview

Credit Transfer

• Transfer credits evaluated on a case-by-case basis
• Applicants transferring from other nursing programs must provide a letter of good standing and official transcripts
• Transfer credits accepted only for courses equivalent to LCU's nursing curriculum

Contacts

• Amelia Davis, Ph.D., contact phone: 318-487-7127
• Admissions phone: 318-487-7127
• Financial aid phone: 318-487-7386
• Physical address: 1140 College Dr, Pineville, LA 71360

Program Length & Format

• 18-month 
• Enrollment as a full-time cohort
• Main program: approximately half of coursework on Hammond campus and half at Baton Rouge Center
• Northshore variant: all classes, laboratory, and clinical experiences at St. Tammany Academic Center in Covington

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing required
• Admission into cohort-based, full-time schedule

Clinical & Simulation Lab

• Northshore variant: all laboratory and clinical experiences occur on the Northshore at St. Tammany Academic Center
• Northshore variant: priority clinical placement at St. Tammany Health System facilities

Selection Process

• Northshore variant: students may apply early for competitive nursing positions at St. Tammany Health System prior to graduation

Contacts

• Kinesiology and Health Studies, Room 1009C, SLU Box 10835, Hammond, LA 70402
• Email: [email protected]
• University hours: Monday–Thursday 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Program Length & Format

• 15-month
• Total 120 credit hours: 70 credit hours of nursing coursework and 50 credit hours of prerequisites
• In-person coursework with hybrid interactive courses; didactic, clinical, and laboratory components
• Full-time cohort model; nursing courses begin May

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution (non-nursing bachelor’s accepted)
• Minimum overall undergraduate GPA 3.0 on all previous undergraduate coursework
• Admission to UL Lafayette undergraduate program required prior to program interview
• U.S. social security number required
• Completion of an in-person program interview required for final acceptance

Prerequisites

• 50 credit hours of required general education prerequisite courses must be completed before beginning nursing courses
• Prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better
• Some prerequisite courses are offered only in on-campus, in-person format
• Science courses expire after 10 years from term of completion

Deadlines

• Applications for the ABSN program 2027 cohort open September 22, 2025
• Nursing courses for the next cohort begin May 2027

Application

• Submit official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions to the UL Lafayette Office of Undergraduate Admissions
• Contact registrars at prior institutions to request transcripts be emailed or mailed directly to UL Lafayette
• Complete UL Lafayette undergraduate admission before College of Nursing interview and program consideration
• Clearance for first clinical nursing course requires Louisiana State Board of Nursing clearance, background check, drug screen, and documentation of clinical health requirements

Selection Process

• College of Nursing & Health Sciences conducts in-person interviews after university admission
• Admission to UL Lafayette does not constitute admission to the Accelerated BSN program
• Candidates who meet program requirements are selected from a limited enrollment qualified pool after interviews conclude

Cost & Financial Aid

• Ochsner Lafayette General covers tuition for nursing courses under the program contract
• Students are responsible for costs of prerequisite courses
• Program participants must contractually commit to work for Ochsner Lafayette General for three years after graduation

Clinical & Simulation Lab

• Clinical rotations occur at Ochsner Lafayette General or Ochsner-affiliated agencies
• Enrollment in first clinical nursing course requires Board of Nursing clearance, background check, and drug screen
• Eight simulation and learning labs available for clinical skills practice
• Simulation program accredited by the Society for Simulation in Health Care (one of 144 programs worldwide)
• Simulation activities include IV and catheter insertion, CPR, medication administration, and childbirth simulations

Credit Transfer

• Transfer credits from a previous bachelor’s degree may be applied to general education prerequisites on a case-by-case basis
• Transcript evaluation for transfer credit is completed after university admission and verification of minimum GPA
• The College of Nursing determines which transfer credits apply to the Accelerated BSN curriculum

Contacts

• LHC Group · Myers School of Nursing, V.L. Wharton Hall Room 254, 411 E Saint Mary Blvd., Lafayette, LA 70503
• Program phone: (337) 482-5604
• University main phone: (337) 482-1000; address: 104 E. University Circle, Lafayette, LA 70503